Health care executives sentenced to prison for fraud

ATLANTA - Shailesh (“Shue”) Kothari, the former owner and CEO of Primera Medical Group, Inc., and Timothy McMenamin, Primera’s former Chief Operating Officer have been sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft.

“Patients submit to a doctor’s care with the expectation they will be provided the best care possible,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “This case unfortunately is an example of greed. The sentences reflect the seriousness of fraudulent health insurance billing, particularly when that billing is coupled with the provider sending false medical reports to patients.”

“Kothari and McMenamin chose to take advantage of patients and the entire health care industry by billing for services that were never provided and falsifying lab reports,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence will serve as a reminder to others that the FBI will not tolerate healthcare providers who engage in schemes that defraud the industry and put innocent patients at risk.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Primera Medical Group, Inc., was a health clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, owned by Shailesh Kothari, Chief Executive Officer, and operated by Timothy McMenamin, Chief Operating Officer. Primera claimed to focus its practice on preventative wellness, specifically corporate wellness, concierge care, and allergy testing. Kothari is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine who has been licensed to practice in Georgia since January 2009.

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/health-care-executives-sentenced-prison-fraud